Rounding up all the Warriors and NBA related news for Monday, July 24th.
Warriors news:
Warriors’ Kerr shares thoughts on Chris Paul, Dunleavy’s first offseason and Dubs’ disappointing playoff run | Mercury News
With a big year ahead, Kerr said he’s focused on some personal coaching goals to get the most out of the team.
“I would say I feel like I failed last year in connecting the group,” he said. “I spent a lot of time this summer thinking about last year, things I could have and should have done differently. I truly believe that sometimes losses force you to reassess and reassess, and I’m excited to come back next year with a renewed focus and energy and spirit from the whole group. And it starts with me, and I can’t wait.”
Inside a surprise reunion for Steve Kerr that served as a reminder of grief and growth | Athletics
Barbara finds herself asking through the television that her former student is settling down on the sidelines. She remembers the same explosive temper from his teenage years.
“You still have some of the same mannerisms—very calm and intuitive,” Barbara told Kerr. “And then, all of a sudden, if you get mad…”
This reminded Kerr of something his wife, Margot, often says: “Beware of the fury of a patient man.”
Vecenie’s summer league takeaways: The good, bad and murky from the NBA’s rookie class | Athletics
Underground Brandin really struggled to score in Las Vegas and that should be a bit of a concern as he struggled to separate from his man in any noticeable way. But I also want to give him real credit: I’m not sure I saw a smarter, more translatable passer during my time in Las Vegas. He made quick decisions with high-level vision and understood how to read the second and third levels of the defense. He is good at playing off two feet and on balance, which allows him to maintain a live dribble and throw sharp passes within the flow of the offense. Podziemski will struggle to stick if he can’t separate and doesn’t hit 40 percent of his 3s. But his passing and ability to move the ball will fit perfectly inside Golden State‘s offense.
NBA rumors: James Harden trade talks, Joel Embiid, PJ Tucker, Rudy Gay, Lakers, Warriors, Bucks, more | Hoops Hype
Veteran forward Rudy Gay is expected to draw interest from several playoff-caliber teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas MavericksChicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans, league sources told HoopsHype.
Gay was healthy last season minus a finger sprain that sidelined him for two weeks and a member of Utah’s rotation through most of last season. Over the last few years of his career, the 17-year veteran has developed into primarily a power forward.
More Kevon Looney content
NBA news:
Michael Jordan’s Hornets Sale Leaves NBA Without Majority Black Team Ownership | Andscape
Andscape asked NBA commissioner Adam Silver ahead of Game 1 NBA finals about the potential lack of African-American ownership in the league with Jordan’s expected sale of the Hornets. Silver responded by saying, “While [Jordan] is our only major African-American owner right now, over the years, whether it’s Grant Hill coming in, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal owning a piece of the Sacramento Kings going. I would love to have better representation in terms of the main governors. It is a marketplace.
“It’s something if we expand that the league would be in a position to focus directly on that, but in individual team transactions, the market takes us to where we are. I will say that I know our governors are increasingly focusing on diversity in their ownership groups, just as they are in their front office, so the trend lines have been positive over the last several years.”
Heat ‘Frustrated’ With Blazers’ Damian Lillard Trade Talks | SB Nation
Lillard requested a trade three weeks ago and there has been very little movement on that front. Lillard remains adamant about his desire to be traded, specifically to the Heat.
But why hasn’t it happened yet? NBA insider Chris Haynes shared some insight on the #thisleague UNCUT Podcast.
“Obviously, Miami doesn’t have all the assets that Portland would get in return for a Damian Lillard trade,” Haynes said. “So they want to know, OK, what do we have to get out there. What other teams do we need to involve to make this work, and so far the communication just isn’t there. That makes this situation pretty frustrating on that side for Miami.
LeBron James links up with Lionel Messi on his MLS debut for Inter Miami
In case you missed it from the Golden State of Mind:
The league isn’t fair, and that’s okay
The green situation brings out a hard truth that we have a natural instinct to want to reconcile: the NBA, like life, is not fair. And the more we digest what has happened, the more we can be pointed in a healthy direction and remember something quite important: it’s OK.
Green’s relationship – or lack thereof – with Kuminga got the clicks, but the main part of Monte Poole’s report was about the fact that the young players at the Warriors, who had grown up hearing about their good management and culture, had cold (and probably spicy) water thrown in their faces when they saw one of the team’s core figures, who was his teammate for 10 years. It’s a hell of a pill to swallow.
Warriors sign Lester Quiñones to two-way contract
Quiñones averaged 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. game on .451/.354/.778 shooting with the Santa Cruz Warriors last season and was rewarded by the Dubs with a 10-day contract. He recorded 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal on .400/.500/.600 shooting in 18 minutes in four NBA contests.
Quiñones still seems like a favorite to crack the Warriors roster at some point this season. Golden State still needs to fill an active roster spot before the start of the regular season and is expected to allow more players to compete for it during the preseason. However, they might be less inclined to give that spot to Quiñones now because he’s locked into a two-way deal.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest Golden State Warriors news.
Read more